Joseph firmenich



J FIRMENICH.

Manufacture of. Vinegar.

atented May 12, 1868.

N. PETERS. PtmfoLMngnphar, Wahingm D. C.

gait 21! tat 2s gaunt- @ffirt.

Letters Patent No. 77,727, dated May 12, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN THE MANUFACTURE OF VINBGAR.

d1}: Stimuli ttittttb in in tips: fitters 53mm mu making part at flgesana.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH FIRMENICB, of Bufi'alo, in the county ofErie, and State'of New York, have invented Improvements in theManufacture of Vinegar; and I do hereby declare that the following-is afull and exact description thereof, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification- Figure 1 beinga front elevation of a factory or building containing the apparatus forconducting the entire process, with my improvements.

Figure'2, a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3, a rear elevation thereof;

Figures 4, 5, and 6, plans respectively of the upper, middle, and lowerstories of the building, and parts 7 of the, apparatus thereon. 7

Figures 7, 8, 9,: 10, and'll, front views, indiil'erent positions, of myimproved valve or regulator, for drawing 05 the sirupy glucose liquid tobe fermented.

Figure 12, an edge view of the same. I v

Figure 13, a view in perspective of the interior of a portion of theacetic generator, the side of the case being broken away.

Like letters designate corresponding parts in all of the figures.

My improvements relate both to the processnnd apparatus for makingvinegar from grains of difi'erent kinds, potatoes, andother farinaceoussubstances, by whicheconomy of expense and time is promoted, and theproduct is rendered uniform and of -good quality. During the process,also, pure starch is produced, as well as glucose sir-up; and either ofthese products may be withdrawn from the process and appliedto otheruses, if desired, or sent to market, according to variations in thedemand for thosediiferentarticles,'or the relative profit to be derivedfrom their production;

Iwill proceed to describe the process of making vinegar direct fromgrain of any kind, ,by the apparatus, as represented in the accompanyingdrawings.

The grain is first ground fine in a mill, F, of ordinary construction. H

The meal is conducted into a vessel or tank, G, and there soaked forabout twenty-four hours in water heated, by steam-jets introducedtherein, to about 150 or 160 Fahrenheit.

The liquiform mass is thence raised or conducted, by means of a pump, H,and pipe a, to a-;t ank or receiver, I, from which it may be fed orintroduced gradually into a second mill, J, the passage thereto beingregulated by a suitable valve or stop-cock. The stones of this mill aresmooth, and it is therefore termed a squeezer,

since its action is that of compression and simple rubbing.

By the use of this squeezing-mill or squeezer,I am enabled, as amodification of'this part of the process, to dispense with the originalgrinding of the grain in a mill, F, and the subsequent soaking of themeal in the tank G. For this purpose the grain, in an undivided state,is first put in the tank I, and there is soaked in water heated by steamfor about twelve hours previous to conveying it to the squeezer.

From the squeezer J the material is conducted to and passed,-by suitableagitation through a sieve, K,

which may be double, or composed of wiregauze at top and silk cloth atbottom.

Thence it is conducted by a spout, d, to a second sieve, L, which isquite fine, being preferably composed of silk cloth. a

From this sieve the material is conveyed by a spout, e, to thestarch-floor or filter M,'composed of a succession of slightly-inclinedtroughs or gutters, g h z, communicating successively one with another,upon the bottoms of which the starch is deposited, while the glutinousand other matters, held in solution orsuspended in water, flow of? andare discharged.

The refuse of the sieves K L passes into a vertical spout orconductor,f, to be discharged into a tub or receiver, N. l

The starch deposited in the troughs is scooped up and introduced into atub or vat, -0, where it is mixed 77,727 *.\2 \\v with coldwatersuiiicient to make the mass of about thexconsistence of cream. Tothis is added a. quantity of sulphuric acid, equal to about two percent. of thestarch-emulsion in the vat, where the whole is allowed tomacerate about twelve hours. v

In the mean time a boiling fmixture of water, about equal in quantity tothat of the starch-emulsion, in the vat O, and of sulphuricacid, equalto about two per cent. of thewater, is prepared in another vessel orvat, Q. Then the mass is gradually raised or conveyed by a. pump, P,from the vat O, and introduced into the vat Q, when it mixes with theacidulatcd water therein. V H

Steam is'continually let directly into this combined mass, so" as tokcep it at a boiling-tcmpcrature till the whole is converted into aglucose sirup. This point is readily ascertained by the liquid becomingclear, or by the iodine test. 1 v

The sirupy liquid having been allowed to cool, and rest about twelvehours, powdered chalk, to the amount of about six per cent. of thestarch employed or produced in the process, or an equivalent salifiablesubstance, is stirred into it, to neutralize any excess of sulphuricacid which may remain thereina The liquid then stands three or fourhours, to allow the excess of chalk and the other precipitatedimpurities to settle at the bottom.

The liquid is gradually drawn off from this vessel Q, as it becomesperfectly clear, into a receiver, B, through my improved gauge-valve orregulator, represented in figs. 7, 8, 9,10, 1 1, and I2. This regulatorhas a vertical oblong opening or port, 11., extending from near thebottom of the vessel Q to the whole or a considerable portion of theheight thereof. This port is covered by a valve or plate, m, which is soconstructed and arranged, in relation to the port, that it will firstuncover the port at the top, and then gradually uncover it more and moredownward to the bottom. It will be readily understood that thisregulator will cause the liquid to be drawn ofi' first at the top, whereit is first clarified, and then gradually downward without disturbingtheliquid bclowtheheight at which it successively draws oii'.

From the"1"eceivcrR the liquid is again drawn through a similargauge-valve, to clear it of the remaining sediment, if any, intothefcrmenting-vat or receiver 8.. Here about one-half of the quantity ofyeast required is added at once to commence the fermentation, using atthe' start distiller-s weak yeast. Then, after the temperature is raisedto the highest point, the remainderor another portion of the yeast isadded, using this time 'distillers strong yeast.

Small quantities of yeast may then he added daily, if necessary, tillthe sugar is all converted into alcohol, which is indicated by thesaccharometer going down to zero.

When the vinous fermentation has been completed, the liquid is run intoa receiver, T, and thence conveyed. by a pump, U, to a reservoir, V,whence it is gradually let intothe acetic generator W, the flow, beingcontrolled by a stop-cock or other means. The partially-acetificd liquidis caught from the generator again in the receiver T, whence it is againpumped to the reservoir V, and run a second time through the generator,and this opera tion is repeated till the a'cctous fermentation iscomplete. 7

The generator W is constructed in an improved manner, as indicated infigs. 2 and 13. A-sct of racks, XX, provided with legs, or theequivalent thereof, so as to keep them separated a certain distance, onefrom another,

is placed in the outer ease or cylinder, and the intervals between theracks are filled w ith corn-cubs," the cobs and racks being insertedalternately, beginning at the bottom of the cylinder. Thisconstruction'afl'ords free circulation of air throughout the generator,and offers an unusual number of points and intcrstices to hasten thefermentation. I I l a Lwill add here that the steaming of the mealorgrain, in the vessels G and I, facilitates the separation of thegluten from the starch, resulting in a greater yield of thelattersubstance. Also' the injection of the steam into the mass itself,instead of passing through coils of pipes therein, not only economizcsthe heat, but, by mechanical agitation and its solvent power, conduces'directlv to the separation of the starch from the glutinous substance ofthe grain. y V i i What I claim as my invention, and desire to sccurebyLetters Patent, is

The process of making vinegar from grain and other starch-producingsubstances, as a whole, substantially as herein specified. a

I also claim, as part of the process of making vinegar, the injection ofsteam into the digesting mass of meal or grain, as in the vats G and I,substantially as herein set forth. i

I also-claim, as part of the process for making vinegar, the soaking anddigesting of grain without grinding, as in the vat I, substantially asherein described.

I also claim, as part of thc process of making vinegar, the subjectionof thc soaked meal or grain 'iOKlIG smooth squeezing-mill J,substantiallyas herein specified.

I also claim, as part of the process of making vinegar, the method ofapplying the sulphuric ucid,'first with cold water and then withboiling'water, and the injection ot' steam into the latter while addingthe starch, and until it is converted into glucose, substantially asherein specified.

I also claim, as a. part of the process, the method of conducting thevinous fermentation by successive additions of yeast, first weak andthen atrong, substantially as herein described.

I also claim thearrangemcnt of the sieves K and L, substantially as andfor thcpurpose herein set forth.

I also claim the gauge valvefln n, for drawing of the clarified sirupyliquid, substantially as herein described.

I also claim the construction of the acetic generator, substantially asherein set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

i i J. FIRMENIOH.

Witnesses: I

Jar HYATT, James 0. BROWN.

